Rediscovering (Walt) Disney

Here is the latest spin on “The Batman” myth, brought to us by the team that gave us “Batman: The Animated Series”. We even get Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman, he is the voice of this generation’s animated Batman, still pitch perfect. Told in six chapters, all done in Japanese anime, they are linked together telling the middle chapter of year one, between “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight”. There are some heavy hitters involved in this project too… “Have I Got a Story for You” – Oscar nom Josh Olson recounts Batman sightings by a group of youngsters leaving them with their own take on the Dark Knight. This one is a lot like “Legends of the Dark Knight” from around season 3 or 4 of the Animated Series. “Crossfire” – Novelist Greg Rucka gives us the police-eye view. Gotham’s finest have to get over their mistrust of Batman, while caught between the Russian and Maroney. “Field Test” - WayneTech arsenal from Lucius Fox, and the Batman must decide what he’s willing to do to win the f...

Here's the new trailer... Uh-Oh, dark and scary, very exciting!

If you were a fan of the series when it originally aired you will appreciate the film. If not, hmm… maybe wait to rent it. I was a fan from day one and was very excited to see Mulder and Scully back in action. And Mulder and Scully are great to watch again, but the film is a slow-paced, disconnected mess. Without the mythology (Mulder’s UFO obsession, the dark gov’t conspiracy) storyline to anchor “The X-Files: I Want to Believe”, we get nothing more then a 104 minute episode, which we might have seen in season 3 or 4. Even if they didn’t watch the X-files when it was on, audiences know about the UFO stuff from just the hype and publicity surrounding it. And those that did watch know that Mulder’s obsession was the pivot point of the whole show. [sigh] Highlights for those of you that do go; Amanda Peet (“Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”), perky and doe-eyed as ever as the FBI agent who brings Mulder in from the cold. And Alvin 'Xzibit' Joiner, that’s right “Pimp My Ride” Xzibit,...

"I Want to Work for Diddy" is a new reality competition show on VH1. I went to the Maine Media Workshops with one of the Producers, Tommy (T.Popps) Popps. "I Want to Work for Diddy" Premieres Monday, August 4th at 9p on VH1. See the Trailer here.

Just when you thought television was dead... TNT brings back "The Closer" (season 4) & "Saving Grace" (season 2). I've been with Deputy Chief Johnson from the beginning and this show is great; great lead, great cast, great writing. Although I almost gave up on Grace and her slide through sin and deprivation, this show managed to raise it's own level of standards and provided the faithful with some choice story lines and great production values. The second season premiere was just awesome and I can't wait to see what's up next. AMC will air season two of "Mad Men" starting on Sunday night. I missed season one and had to get caught up with last Sunday's marathon viewing. Wow - what a smart, funny, stylish, sexy show, it's programmed in the DVR now. USA 's summer season brings us the returns of "Monk" (season 7), "Psych" (season 3) and "Burn Notice" (season 2) all three of these programs are must...

Geo Beach, esteemed host of “Tougher in Alaska” on HISTORY, will be appearing on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” this Thursday night. Comedy Central, 11 pm, Thursday, 7/24. THE DAILY SHOW Tune in if you can!

There should be no doubt about who the summer box office champ is now. Iron Man and Indiana Jones take a back seat to Gothams’ own; Batman. Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” is a relentless, psychological, crime thriller starring Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Heath Ledger just to name a few. This film could have easily been a contemporary, straight-forward crime story, it just happens to have Batman and the Joker in it. Nolan starts the movie with a bang, steps on the gas (and your throat) until the closing credits, finally letting you up after 152 minutes to take a breath. Ryan and I went to the midnight showing at our local IMAX theater and seeing the Joker that big is scary! Heath Ledger is deserving of another Oscar nom for his portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime. You know it’s him behind the makeup, but you never once think of the actor, you only think: Jeez this Joker guy is one sick son of a …. Yeah, he’s that good. And in a film with an ensemble cast this large, this tale...

I’m a fan of Hellboy, more accurately I’m a fan of Mike Mignola’s Hellboy. The guy in the picture above this paragraph, that Hellboy. He of the Right Hand of Doom, the cloven hooves, the cigars, the brooding, dark humor, the… well you get the picture right? Now, I’ve been around long enough to know that films are not comics and you never get a celluloid incarnation of your favorite characters without throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Hellboy II was not what I expected, nor wanted, in a Hellboy movie. Director Guillermo del Toro’s last big movie “Pan’s Labyrinth” is what this Hellboy should be, dark, evil, frightening, twisted. I think maybe he was afraid to go to that well of scary again so soon. I’m sorry Mr. del Toro but my Hellboy is not a victim of slapstick humor, rather he is in the grip of a giant rising from the earth to grind our bones! And shame on you Mike Mignola, co-writer, for letting him go that route. As LA Filmcutter points out, the snarky one-liners are gone,...

No seriously, check it out. Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly) has given birth to another, twisty, jokey, just plain whacky universe. Joss's genius apparently knows no bounds, it's off beat, it's funny, it's actiony, suspensey and it stars Neil Patrick Harris (oh, and Nathan Fillion too)!!! Need a little a little pick me up? Need relief from the dregs of TV? Bored with your summer reading list? Check out the links below and jump aboard Joss Whedon's cyber-space slip-and-slide. Wheeee! Dr. Horrible Wonderflonium Captain Hammer

Michael Turner, a leading contemporary comic-book artist who was known for the highly stylized covers he created for major titles... Wow. I knew he'd been battling cancer for some time now, but still, this is sad. Here's the LA Times story.

Sam Peckinpah, John Woo and the Wachowski Brothers walk into a bar… Ryan and I went to see “Wanted” yesterday. As always I ask if he liked it, he says yes. He asks what I thought, and I say “It was ridiculously good.", and then I laugh! “Wanted” is a non-stop ballet of gun-play, blood spray, and “no way”! But it’s all good, really good, and it all works, sometimes surprising, sometimes cliché, sometimes just plain fun to watch. READER BEWARE: SPOILERS AHEAD! Based on the Top Cow comic series by Mark Millar & JG Jones, the film has: Massive set pieces - the train crash will make your head spin. Crazy chase scenes - knowing how they did the Viper/Pet Food scene made it that much more entertaing. A new twist on bullet-time - giving an up close view of the soon to be flesh tearing projectile, even retracing it’s flight path to show the ridiculous shot the trigger man just made. Brilliant and darkly entertaining humor – computer keyboard to the face anyone? And a fraternity of as...

As some of you recall (THANKS DI & WILL!) back in February I worked on an indie feature down in Philly. Well… I got a call from the director the other night, and the film has been accepted to at least two festivals! She also indicated that they were still waiting to here from a few more but she wanted to spread the good news. She and the producer, her husband, were calling the entire cast and crew that night to let us know! Due to the pregnant nature of my wife I will not be attending “The Indie Gathering” in Ohio on August 1st – 3rd. But I do have my passport so "The Indie Can Film Festival” in Toronto, October 1st – 5th, is a possibility. OK, three cheers for “Trinity” and here’s hopin’ for some swag (or bling) for the mantel! The Indie Gathering Indie Can Film Festival